Central Hudson ranks high in solar capacity

KINGSTON >> Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. ranked 37th of 285 nationally participating public and private utilities in capacity of solar electric systems installed by customers in 2013, according to the Solar Electric Power Association.

The utility ranked 47th in total installed solar capacity overall, according to the association’s annual Utility Solar Rankings report. The non-profit association, which helps utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios, has named Central Hudson among the top utilities nationally since 2007.

Customers with electric generating systems using solar or wind energy may participate in the Net Metering program, which credits users with excess power returned by their systems to the local electric grid. At present, 1,950 Central Hudson customers have installed solar electric systems, with 401 additional systems pending.